Bastogne

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Bastogne (Dutch: Bastenaken, German: Bastenach, Luxembourgish: Baaschtnech) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Luxembourg in the Ardennes. On January 1 2005 Bastogne had a total population of 14,090. The total area is 172.03 km² which gives a population density of 81.90 inhabitants per km².

Bastogne is also the midpoint of the famous Liège-Bastogne-Liège classic bicycle race, one of the biggest events in the professional cycling calendar.

Bastogne played a major role during the Battle of Bastogne in World War II. On December 21, 1944, the German Army surrounded the city, trapping the American 101st Airborne Division and other units. The 101st's defense of Bastogne was credited with slowing up the Germans' push for the port of Antwerp, until the city was reached by General Patton's Third Army on December 26. The fighting for the region remained fierce for months: By the time the Germans retreated from Foy, a village 5 km outside Bastogne, January 14, 1945, they left behind a completely destroyed city.

Gallery

Image:Bastogne JPG00.jpg|The St. Piere church (XII - XVIth century). Image:Bastogne JPG01.jpg|The "Mardasson Memorial" (Battle of the Bulge - 1944). Image:Bastogne JPG02.jpg|The General Mc Auliffe Place.

External link

[Bastogne official site] (in French)

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